Calligraphy: Then and Now

With the invention of the typewriter in 1867, beautiful penmanship became less important. In the twentieth century, devotees of calligraphy created a renewed interest in the craft. While visiting the United States in 1974, Donald Jackson, a well-known English calligrapher, promoted the art of calligraphy through lectures and workshops. He also did television interviews during his visit, encouraging Americans to form their own calligraphy societies. His enthusiasm for the art caught on. Today there are more than thirty calligraphic societies in the United States and Europe.